Police officers, trading standards, local authorities, and education and health boards need to work together in order to tackle legal highs, the Police Federation has warned.

On 12 November 2014, Richie Jones, of the Police Federation of England and Wales, gave both written and oral evidence to the Welsh Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee to support the assembly’s report, which seeks to combat the rise in new psychoactive substances, commonly known as legal highs.

In its submission to the assembly, the federation emphasised the need to utilise social media to push out awareness campaigns to reach high risk ‘casual and curious’ 15-17 year olds. Providing awareness information about the drugs at nightclubs, freshers’ fairs and festivals was also mentioned.

The submission added that the growth of legal highs has had a negative impact on the population and significantly contributed to the increase in drug related crimes.

The evidence the Police Federation put forward called for the Welsh and UK governments to work together to examine the best way to progress legislation that would allow court orders to be issued to close outlets selling illegal substances marketed as legal highs.

Mr Jones said: “We are delighted by the Welsh Assembly’s report calling for action against new psychoactive substances. The make-up of these drugs currently means that the law cannot keep up-to-speed with the ‘changing science’ of their production.

“We witness daily the impact that these so-called legal highs are having on society. These are dangerous drugs, designed to side-step the law, with no regard whatsoever for the safety or impact upon society.

“We need early action from The Home Office on day one in the next parliament to progress this report.

“If the recommendations are fully implemented and backed by law, it will go a long way to support front line police officers and allow them to better protect the public”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

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